If a CSV opens as one long column in your spreadsheet, the file uses a different separator from the one your software expects. This tool converts between comma, tab, semicolon and pipe. It reads quoted fields properly, so commas inside quotes aren't treated as separators, and it detects the input separator for you.
How to use it
- Paste your delimited text.
- Leave the input on automatic, or choose it.
- Choose the output separator.
- Copy the converted text.
When it helps
- Opening European CSV files that use semicolons.
- Converting CSV to tab-separated for pasting into a spreadsheet.
- Preparing data for an import tool.
- Fixing a file that opens in one column.
Good to know
- Tab-separated text pastes cleanly into spreadsheets.
- Fields containing the separator are quoted automatically.
- Trim cell spaces if the data has padding.
What a delimiter is
A delimiter separates the values in each row. CSV uses commas, TSV uses tabs, and some European programs use semicolons because commas are decimal marks. Pipes are used where text contains many commas. When a delimiter appears inside a value, the value is wrapped in quotes.
The tool detects the input delimiter from the first line, or you can set it.
Worked example: a semicolon file
A file exported by a European spreadsheet uses semicolons, and your tool expects commas. Paste it, leave the input on automatic, choose comma as the output, and copy the result. Values that contain commas are quoted, so they stay intact.
To paste into a spreadsheet instead, choose tab, and each value lands in its own cell.
Quoting rules
Fields containing the delimiter, quotes or line breaks are wrapped in double quotes, and any quote inside becomes two quotes. That's the standard in RFC 4180, which most programs follow.
If your data looks odd after conversion, check whether the source used a different quoting style or an unusual encoding.
Encoding and other trouble
If accented characters look wrong, the file was probably saved in a different character encoding, such as Windows-1252, and needs converting to UTF-8. A byte order mark at the start can also appear as strange characters in the first cell.
This tool trims a leading mark automatically.
Working with large files
The tool handles several megabytes of text, but your browser may slow down on very large pastes. For huge files, split them first or use a command-line tool. Copy results out in chunks if needed.
Always keep your original file untouched, and write the converted version to a new one.
Choosing the right output
Pick comma for general exchange, tab for pasting into spreadsheets, semicolon for software set to European regional settings, and pipe when your text contains many commas. When unsure, comma with proper quoting is the most widely supported.
Questions
Does it handle quoted fields?
Yes, including quotes inside quotes.
Does it keep line breaks inside cells?
Yes, if the cell is quoted.